Pilates Soulful Sunday: Letting Go of Perfection
- Michael King
- Aug 24
- 4 min read
Perfection is a tidy picture. It looks neat on a screen or in a book, but bodies do not live in pictures. Bodies live in breath, sensation, and change. On Soulful Sunday I invite you to set down the hunt for perfect form and choose something richer. Awareness. Joy. Self compassion.
Why perfect form is not the goal
Perfect form promises certainty. If the shape looks right then the work must be right. In truth the picture is only the surface. What matters is the way a client organises effort, directs attention, and breathes through the movement. That is the method. When we push for an ideal shape we can miss the nervous system response, the holding patterns, and the lived history that walks into the studio.
Think of two clients in the same exercise. One looks picture perfect but is bracing the jaw and gripping the neck. The other looks less exact but breathes with ease, feels where the work is, and can adjust without stress. Which body is learning The Pilates Method. The second one.
What to place at the centre instead
Awareness Where do I feel effort. Where can I reduce it. What changes when I move a little slower. Awareness is the teacher inside the client.
Joy Enjoyment improves learning. When movement feels good the nervous system trusts it. Trusted movement is repeated. Repeated movement becomes change.
Self compassion Progress is non linear. Some days the spine is free. Some days it is not. Self compassion keeps the door open for practice and for practise again tomorrow.
Language that helps
Words carry weight. As Pilates teachers our language can free or freeze. Try these shifts.
From hold your abs to find your centre and let it support you.
From straighten your legs to allow length to grow through the legs.
From do not do it like that to try this version and notice what changes.
From perfect to better for your body today.
Keep the breath gentle. If you can hear it, it is too loud. Invite breath that supports the centre rather than breath that performs for the room.
Pilates Teaching cues that build awareness not anxiety
Cue in threes Direction. Education. Space.Example. Press through the tripod of the foot. This helps the knee and hip track with ease. Take two slow breaths to feel it land.
Name the why Tell clients which areas are working and how that supports posture and daily life. Understanding turns effort into purpose.
Offer choices Give two or three variations with clear outcomes. Softer spring to explore control. Heavier spring to explore strength. Both are valid.
Coach the exit Finish sequences by bringing the client to standing and organising posture. Help them notice how the body feels in gravity. This anchors the session in daily life.
A short sequence for Soulful Sunday
Use this as a reflective session for yourself or to theme a class.
Arrive and centre Stand. Soften the ribs. Lengthen the back of the neck. Three quiet breaths. Ask what do I notice.
Pelvic clock on the mat Small movements. Map the edges without forcing. Invite even pressure across the back of the pelvis. Less range. More clarity.
Spine curls Roll through the spine rather than hinge. Pause half way to breathe. Can you release the jaw and keep the back of the neck easy.
Leg folds to toe tap Control the return rather than the lift. Feel the centre support the weight of the legs. Stop before the back changes.
Arms with springs or weights Knees bent to keep the lumbar safe. Cue length through the spine and a soft chest. Ask what muscles are helping and which ones can do less.
Side lying hip work Small range. Focus on pelvis quiet, ribs soft, breath steady. Name the work in the lateral hip and how it supports walking.
Mermaid or side bend Find space rather than depth. Breathe into the ribs that open. Let the shoulders drop away from the ears.
Roll down with support Use a bar or band if helpful. Head stays easy. Sequence the spine. Invite a little less effort in the upper body.
Stand to close Rebuild posture. Feet grounded. Knees soft. Centre awake. Crown of head tall. One simple thought to take into the day.
For Pilates teachers: how to hold a soulful room
Set an intention: Today's aim is clarity not range. Say it at the start. Return to it often.
Model curiosity: Walk. Observe. Ask open questions. What changed when you softened the ribs. Where do you feel the work now.
Slow the tempo: Space between reps allows the nervous system to learn. Let silence do some of the teaching.
Celebrate process: Praise noticing. Praise adjustments. Praise rest that is chosen with wisdom.
Protect safety: Choose movements that match the body in front of you. Swap a spring. Change the angle. Less can be more when the goal is learning the method.
A note on standards and artistry
Standards matter. Precision matters. They are tools, not masters. Use alignment cues to organise the body, then let the body own the movement. When form serves understanding, technique becomes artistry. The work looks effortless because it is organised, not because it is perfect.
A journal prompt for today
Where did I push for a picture this week. What did I feel when I let the picture go. What will I practise differently next time.
Close with one calm breath. Thank your body for what it could do today. That is enough.
Comments